


Laugh

by the_void_fox



Series: Keith Week 2016 [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Food Fight, Gen, Keith's laugh is a gift, Space Uncle Coran (Voltron), Tea, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-08-19 01:20:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8183452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_void_fox/pseuds/the_void_fox
Summary: Day 6: Free DayThe Paladins know of Keith’s past. They also know he deserved better. And they are determined to make sure he knows that.Follow up to Day 5.





	

Keith wakes in a tangled pile of limbs and sleep-warmed bodies, head still pillowed on Lance’s broad shoulder, the older boy snoring softly. He shifts, hoping to sneak out without the others noticing, only to find himself unable to move. Glancing down, he finds that Pidge has looped her arms around his waist and burrowed into his side, making soft whuffling noises in her sleep. He smiles softly at the sight and gently disengages from her grip as slowly as he can manage, tucking her against Lance and giving a huff of amusement as she latches on. ‘Who knew you were a secret cuddler, Pidge,’ he murmurs, before pulling the blankets closer around the four sleepers and quietly exiting the room.

 

In the kitchen, he pours a glass of water and downs it, a blessed relief to his aching throat. How long had he been crying last night? Leaning against the bench, he scrubs at his face with his hands, blinking through puffy eyelids as Coran enters. ‘Good morning, paladin,’ the Altean greets, his kind eyes crinkling in a smile.

‘Hi, Coran.’

‘Bad night, I hear.’

‘Something like that.’

‘Well, lucky for you, I have just the thing!’

 

Keith watches, curious, as Coran extracts a kettle-like device from a hidden cupboard, placing a ball of paper into the center and filling it at the tap. While the machine hisses and rattles, he digs out mugs and spoons, the clatter a comforting, homely sound. Keith sniffs as a delicious scent fills the air, and Coran makes an approving sound as he pours out the contents of the kettle. ‘It’s aged well, this tea. Castle preservation technology always was the best!’ He hands the red paladin a cup, lacing a spoon with honey and dropping it into the centre. ‘Stir that around. It’s good for the sinuses, too.’ He busies himself with preparing a cup each for the others, while Keith takes several cautious sips of the fragrant brew, feeling the tightness in his chest instantly ease. ‘Thank you,’ he whispers, catching Coran’s nod in response.

 

Allura is next to emerge, and she brushes a hand over his shoulder gently as she passes, a questioning look in her eyes as Coran hands her a cup. The smile on her face after tasting the contents is full of memory, and she moves to the table to sit and enjoy it properly. Pidge stumbles into the room as the princess leaves, hand clawing blindly along the bench-top until she manages to snag a cup. She then promptly attaches herself to Keith’s side to keep from falling over – apparently it’s his turn to suffer the clinginess of a pre-caffeine Pidge. Her presence is a comfort, though, brushing away a little of the anxiety that comes with the others’ absences. Shiro makes his way in, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and he is closely followed by Hunk and Lance, yawning and stumbling over their overlong pyjama pants.

 

Pidge takes his hand, and Keith finds himself led to the table to join the others, all silently sipping their tea and clearly ruminating on last night’s interesting conclusion. Or maybe just the movie. Keith can’t tell, and it’s making him nervous.

 

He’d never broken down in front of the team before. Who knew what they’d think?

 

But no, they hadn’t been annoyed. Hadn’t left him to his bad thoughts and self-pity. Pidge had noticed his trouble speaking, and had alerted the others without him even noticing. Hunk had wrapped him in a blanket, understanding his need for security. Shiro had seen his tears and held him, had taken him to Lance, who had stayed while the others made sure he’d be comfortable. They had stayed close, given him a distraction, had never allowed him to be alone for a second throughout the whole thing – and even now, one of them was always near. Did they know about his problems with abandonment? Had Shiro told them?

 

There is no discussion forthcoming, however, and breakfast is undertaken with only some light-hearted conversation and minor mishandling of food goo.

 

That is, until Lance _(who else)_ decides to shake things up, and flings an entire spoonful of bright blue mush into Shiro’s face, giggling as it catches in the leader's white shock of hair. As if at some prearranged signal, the table descends into chaos, with a food fight to go down in Paladin history. There’s a lot of shouting and throwing and laughter, and by the time it ends, the room looks to be in the end stages of a particularly bright Jackson Pollock painting.

 

They’re standing around the table, sides heaving with exertion and smothered giggles, when a bright, beautiful laugh rings out above the silence, and the Paladins turn to see Keith rolling on the floor in stitches, his face flushed and filled with an unabashed _joy_ he rarely displays.

 

And if they happen to catch the winks Lance and Shiro throw at each other, well, it was all for a good cause.

 

As it is, Keith’s laugh is downright infectious, so no one really cares.

**Author's Note:**

> Day 7 will either be up today or Tuesday.


End file.
